Effect of Tg treatment in PKR−/− MEFs transfected with in vitro-synthesized SINV sgmRNAs. (A) sgmRNA C+luc, sgmRNA C+luc AUG-hp, and sgmRNA C+luc AUG-CAA14 synthesized in vitro by T7 RNA polymerase were transfected into PKR−/− MEFs. Thirty minutes later, cells were treated with 1.5 μM Tg or left untreated, and incubated for 90 min before harvesting to measure luciferase activity. (B–D) PKR−/− MEFs were transfected and treated as in A, and then collected in sample buffer. SINV C protein, phosphorylated eIF2α, and total eIF2α were detected by immunoblotting using specific antibodies (left panels). Densitometric quantifications of protein C and mutant proteins C1 or C2 in the presence or absence of Tg are shown in the right panels. The results displayed in A–D are the mean ± SD of three independent experiments. The percentage values of Tg-treated cells relative to untreated cells are indicated.